Acts 13:8

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

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Word by word — the Greek

Word	Greek	Strong’s	Meaning
But	δὲ de	G1161	but · conjunction
Elymas	Ἐλύμας Elumas	G1681	Elymas · noun — nominative singular masculine, a proper name
sorcerer	μάγος, magos	G3097	a Magian · noun — nominative singular masculine
for	γὰρ gar	G1063	properly · conjunction
so	οὕτως houtōs	G3779	in this way (referring to what precedes or follows) · adverb
is	μεθερμηνεύεται methermēneuetai	G3177	to explain over · verb — present passive indicative, 3rd person singular
his	αὐτοῖς autois	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — dative plural masculine
name	ὄνομα onoma	G3686	a "name" (literally or figuratively) (authority · noun — nominative singular neuter
interpretation	μεθερμηνεύω methermēneúō	G3177	to explain over
withstood	ἀνθίστατο anthistato	G436	to stand against · verb — imperfect middle indicative, 3rd person singular
them	αὐτοῦ, autou	G846	the reflexive pronoun self · personal pronoun — genitive singular masculine
seeking	ζητῶν zētōn	G2212	to seek (literally or figuratively) · verb — present active participle, nominative singular masculine
away	διαστρέψαι diastrepsai	G1294	to distort · verb — aorist active infinitive
deputy	ἀνθύπατον anthupaton	G446	instead of the highest officer · noun — accusative singular masculine
from	ἀπὸ apo	G575	"off · preposition
faith	πίστεως. pisteōs	G4102	persuasion · noun — genitive singular feminine

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Cross-references

2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
Acts 13:6-7 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus:
2 Timothy 4:14-15 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and alm…
Acts 13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
Exodus 7:11-13 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
1 Kings 22:24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to spea…
Jeremiah 28:1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that…

Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 13:4-13

In these verses we have, I. A general account of the coming of Barnabas and Saul to the famous island of Cyprus; and perhaps thitherward they steered their course because Barnabas was a native of that country (Act 4:36), and he was willing they should have the first-fruits of his labours, pursuant to his new commission. Observe, 1. Their being sent forth by the Holy Ghost was the great thing that encouraged them in this undertaking, Act 13:4. If the Holy Ghost send them forth, he will go along with them, strengthen them, carry them on in their work, and give them success; and then they fear no colours, but can cheerfully venture upon a stormy sea from Antioch, which was now to them a quiet h…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 13:8

But Elymas--or "the wise." for so is his name by interpretation--the word is from the Arabic. withstood them--perceiving, probably, how eagerly the proconsul was drinking in the word, and fearing a dismissal. (Compare Ti2 3:8).

Adam Clarke on Acts 13:8

But Elymas, the sorcerer, (for so is his name by interpretation) - That is, Elymas is the interpretation of the word μαγος, or sorcerer; not of the word Bar-Jesus as some have imagined; and to support which they have been led into strange etymologies on the word βαρ-Ιησους, Bar-Jesus. But how is Elymas, Ελυμας, the interpretation of the word μαγος, magician or sorcerer? Ans. Both names are Asiatic; but neither Hebrew nor Greek. I have already observed, in the note on Mat 2:1, that mogh in Persian means an idolater, a worshipper of fire, and sometimes what we term a magician. Elymas is from the Arabic ilm, knowledge, science, doctrine, art; from alama, he was wise, skilled, etc.; hence aleem…

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John Gill on Acts 13:8

But Elymas the sorcerer, for so is his name by interpretation,.... Not that Magus a sorcerer is by interpretation Elymas; as if Luke was interpreting the Persic word "Magus", which is sometimes used in a good sense, for a wise man, as in Matthew 2:1 by an Arabic word "Elim", which signifies knowing; but "Elymas" is the interpretation of his name "Bar-jesus"; which as that signifies the son of salvation, or of healing, so this, as De Dieu observes, may be derived from "Chalam", which signifies "to heal", or to be sound and in health. Junius thinks the name comes from the Arabic word which signifies "to mutter", as wizards and sorcerers, and such sort of men used to do; and though he rejects…

The Church Fathers

Many attempts were also wrought against the apostles by the sorcerers Simon and Elymas, but the blindness which struck (them) was no enchanter's trick.
— Tertullian, A Treatise on the Soul

However, Elymas the magician (for so his name is interpreted) withstood them, seeking to turn away the proconsul from the faith. And this too is more in the Greek: Because he was gladly listening to them.
— Bede, Retractions on Acts

The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).

Dictionary and topics

Cyprus — One of the largest islands of the Mediterranean, about 148 miles long and 40 broad. It is distant about 60 miles from the Syrian coast. It was the “Chittim” of the Old Testament (Num. 24:24). The…
Deputy — In 1 Kings 22:47, means a prefect; one set over others. The same Hebrew word is rendered “officer;” i.e., chief of the commissariat appointed by Solomon (1 Kings 4:5, etc.). In Esther 8:9; 9:3 (R.V.,…
Enchantments — (1.) The rendering of Hebrew latim_ or _lehatim, which means “something covered,” “muffled up;” secret arts, tricks (Ex. 7:11, 22; 8:7, 18), by which the Egyptian magicians imposed on the credulity…
Magi — (Authorized Version wise men).
Mark — The evangelist; “John whose surname was Mark” (Acts 12:12, 25). Mark (Marcus, Col. 4:10, etc.) was his Roman name, which gradually came to supersede his Jewish name John. He is called John in Acts…
Sergius Paulus — A “prudent man” (R.V., “man of understanding”), the deputy (R.V., “proconsul”) of Cyprus (Acts 13:6-13). He became a convert to Christianity under Paul, who visited this island on his first mission…
Cyprus · Visited by Barnabas and Saul — Visited by Barnabas and Saul
Deputy · absence — absence
Divination · Practised by: Sorcerers — Practised by: Sorcerers
Elymas · A false prophet, punished with blindness — A false prophet, punished with blindness
Paphos · Paul blinds a — Paul blinds a
Sergius Paulus · A Roman — A Roman

Acts 13:8

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 13:4-13

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 13:8

Adam Clarke on Acts 13:8

John Gill on Acts 13:8

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

Acts 13:8

Word by word — the Greek

Cross-references

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Acts 13:4-13

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Acts 13:8

Adam Clarke on Acts 13:8

John Gill on Acts 13:8

The Church Fathers

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Acts 13:4-12

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Acts 13:7-8